Summary

Here's a summary of where things stand:

• A gunman opened fire this morning at Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. 18 children and 6 adults died at the scene. Two children were transported to the hospital and were later declared dead. The gunman died at the scene. Police said one other person, who lived with the perpetrator, died at a second scene. The death toll was 28, with the investigation still unfolding.

• Police have declined to identify the gunman or any of the victims. Officials say they are working with a 'tentative identification'; the Associated Press and other outlets said it was Adam Lanza, 20. The AP reported that his brother Ryan, 24, had been questioned by detectives. The AP also said that Lanza's mother, Nancy, was presumed dead. Police said they will be at the scene all night and described an "an active, ongoing investigation".

• President Obama fought back tears during a White House statement in which he described "overwhelming grief". He said "we're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics".

• Gun control advocates held a candlelight vigil outside the White House. Many state and local officials, including New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, called on the president to introduce new gun control legislation.

6.22pm ET

Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy has held a news conference. He says police are working to "return these children to their parents."

"As you know, there are a number of victims," he says. The victims included "teachers, support personnel and children," "beautiful, beautiful children who had simply come to school to learn."

"Evil visited this community today," Malloy continues. "And it's too early to speak of recovery. But each parent, each sibling, each member of the family has to understand that Connecticut, we're all in this together. ...

"Our police personnel and others are doing the utmost to clear this situation as soon as possible, and to return these children to their parents, or these loved ones to their fellow loved ones as quickly as possible.

"I was mayor of Stamford on 9/11, when this state lost many citizens... I never thought that in a public career that I would have to face these kinds of circumstances.

"We'll get through this, and our prayers at this time have to go out to the families."

Staffers have been asked not to tweet about sports or use the word "shooter" in light of the tragedy.

Deadspin has the full memo sent to staffers from executive producer Mark Gross, in which he issues the following edict: "for the time being, we should not be tweeting about sports until further notice".

No word if more mainstream news organizations, maligned Friday for running with inaccurate or misleading information, will take that cue.

6.22pm ET

The Guardian's Richard Adams is at the vigil outside the White House.

"So far there's about four or five hundred people here, many with candles and homemade signs," he writes. "There's a large but discrete police presence and they have closed off the Pennsylvania Ave western end."

Frank DeAngelis was principal of Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, when two 17-year-old students killed 13 people and injured 21 others. DeAngelis, still in the same role at the school, told the Associated Press that it's time for the US to work together to prevent future shootings.

"You go to a movie theater in Aurora and all of a sudden your life is taken," DeAngelis said. "You're at a shopping mall in Portland, Ore., and your life is taken. This morning, when parents kissed their kids goodbye knowing that they are going to be home to celebrate the holiday season coming up, you don't expect this to happen. I think as a society, we need to come together. It has to stop, these senseless deaths."

6.22pm ET

"In the aftermath of the tragic shooting in Newtown, Connecticut today, the President’s event planned for Wednesday in Portland, Maine has been cancelled," says a new statement from the White House.

6.22pm ET

State police spokesman Lt. Paul Vance is holding a briefing.

He says each family of a shooting victim has been assigned an officer to pass on information about the investigation as it unfolds.

"The community has been outstanding," he says. "They're doing everything they possibly can."

The FBI crisis management team will respond to the scene tomorrow, to help with families of the victims, and police, firemen, first responders and others who witnessed the scene.

Vance says there is a related scene, a secondary scene, that we discovered in "specifically investigating the shooter." He won't say whether the body was male or female or give other details.

He says he's not going to confirm the identity of the shooter.

"We have a tentative identification," he says.

"We will leave no stone unturned... whether it's the shooter, any of the victims ... we're going to look at everything," he says. "It will be a time-consuming process but we'll get it done."

He says there are no students that are unaccounted for.

"We have seized the weapons," he says. He will not specify the number or type of weapons.

"We've provided counseling for the first responders, because this was a very tragic, horrific scene that they encountered," he says.

Lt. George Sinko of the Newtown police is now speaking.

He says it's the worst thing that has ever happened in Newtown.

Danbury Hospital has made crisis counselors available at a local school through the weekend, he says.

He talks about caring for the parents of the 20 children who were killed.

"We've done our best to comfort them, and to try to reassure them that we've done everything we can," Sinko says. "But it's a difficult status to confirm the status of an entire elementary school, and we have to be right when we do that."

He says that parents are still at the firehouse set up as a staging area outside the school. He doesn't say how many.

6.22pm ET

Slate's Dave Weigel tweets an image of a vigil outside the White House calling for gun control.

I just woke up in my hotel room in Beijing, China to learn that another mass shooting has taken place - this time at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in CT. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims and the entire community of Newtown, CT. I just spoke to Gabby, and she sends her prayers from Tucson.

As we mourn, we must sound a call for our leaders to stand up and do what is right. This time our response must consist of more than regret, sorrow, and condolence. The children of Sandy Hook Elementary School and all victims of gun violence deserve leaders who have the courage to participate in a meaningful discussion about our gun laws - and how they can be reformed and better enforced to prevent gun violence and death in America. This can no longer wait.

6.22pm ET

Full Obama statement – video

6.22pm ET

Bloomberg: 'we need immediate action'

Here's the text of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's statement, under the aegis of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, an organization he chairs:

With all the carnage from gun violence in our country, it’s still almost impossible to believe that a mass shooting in a kindergarten class could happen. It has come to that. Not even kindergarteners learning their A,B,Cs are safe. We heard after Columbine that it was too soon to talk about gun laws. We heard it after Virginia Tech. After Tucson and Aurora and Oak Creek. And now we are hearing it again. For every day we wait, 34 more people are murdered with guns. Today, many of them were five-year olds. President Obama rightly sent his heartfelt condolences to the families in Newtown. But the country needs him to send a bill to Congress to fix this problem. Calling for ‘meaningful action’ is not enough. We need immediate action. We have heard all the rhetoric before. What we have not seen is leadership – not from the White House and not from Congress. That must end today. This is a national tragedy and it demands a national response. My deepest sympathies are with the families of all those affected, and my determination to stop this madness is stronger than ever.

6.22pm ET

A prayer gathering is scheduled for 7pm tonight at Newtown Congregational Church. An interfaith prayer service is being coordinated for Sunday evening, 7 pm, at Newtown High School.

The Newtown Patch Facebook page, where people are leaving messages of condolence, is here.

British prime minister David Cameron has released a statement on the shooting:

I was shocked and deeply saddened to hear about today's horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut that has killed and injured so many innocent people.

My thoughts are with the injured and those who have lost loved ones. It is heartbreaking to think of those who have had their children robbed from them at such a young age, when they had so much life ahead of them.

I offer my sincere condolences to the families, to President Obama, Governor Malloy and the American people. The thoughts of the British people are with you all at this very difficult time.

Here's the text of the president's statement at the White House this afternoon:

This afternoon, I spoke with Governor Malloy and FBI Director Mueller. I offered Governor Malloy my condolences on behalf of the nation, and made it clear he will have every single resource that he needs to investigate this heinous crime, care for the victims, counsel their families.

We’ve endured too many of these tragedies in the past few years. And each time I learn the news I react not as a President, but as anybody else would -- as a parent. And that was especially true today. I know there’s not a parent in America who doesn’t feel the same overwhelming grief that I do.

The majority of those who died today were children -- beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old.

U.S. President Barack Obama wipes tears as he makes a statement in response to the elementary school shooting in Connecticut December 14, 2012 at the White House in Washington, DC. Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images

They had their entire lives ahead of them -- birthdays, graduations, weddings, kids of their own. Among the fallen were also teachers -- men and women who devoted their lives to helping our children fulfill their dreams.

So our hearts are broken today -- for the parents and grandparents, sisters and brothers of these little children, and for the families of the adults who were lost. Our hearts are broken for the parents of the survivors as well, for as blessed as they are to have their children home tonight, they know that their children’s innocence has been torn away from them too early, and there are no words that will ease their pain.

As a country, we have been through this too many times. Whether it’s an elementary school in Newtown, or a shopping mall in Oregon, or a temple in Wisconsin, or a movie theater in Aurora, or a street corner in Chicago -- these neighborhoods are our neighborhoods, and these children are our children. And we're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics.

This evening, Michelle and I will do what I know every parent in America will do, which is hug our children a little tighter and we’ll tell them that we love them, and we’ll remind each other how deeply we love one another. But there are families in Connecticut who cannot do that tonight. And they need all of us right now. In the hard days to come, that community needs us to be at our best as Americans. And I will do everything in my power as President to help.

Because while nothing can fill the space of a lost child or loved one, all of us can extend a hand to those in need -- to remind them that we are there for them, that we are praying for them, that the love they felt for those they lost endures not just in their memories but also in ours.

May God bless the memory of the victims and, in the words of Scripture, heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds.

6.22pm ET

Lt. Paul Vance has ended his briefing.

"It's a very, very difficult scene," he said. "It's a tragedy. It's a tragic scene."

6.22pm ET

Police: 20 children, six adults and gunman dead

Police say 27 people were shot dead at the school and one additional adult was found dead at the gunman's family home. Two of the victims from the school, both children, died at the hospital. One person was injured.

Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy has just held a press briefing.

He offers thanks for offers of assistance. He says he spoke with parents of the victims and extends his condolences. "A number of our citizens, beautiful children, had their life taken away from them," Malloy says.

"The perpetrator of the crime is dead, as is an individual who the perpetrator lived with."

He thanks the president.

State Police spokesman Lt. Paul Vance now speaks. "I just would like to restate some of the information," he says. He says it's "an active, ongoing investigation," "and there's a lot of things we cannot confirm or discuss."

"Upon realizing the intensity and difficulty of the situation," police called for reinforcements.

There were 18 children that were pronounced dead at the school. Two children were transported and pronounced dead at the hospital. There were six adults pronounced dead at the school. In addition, the shooter was dead at the school.

That's a total of 26 victims plus the shooter at the school. In all, 20 children died.

The scene is secure. Police are "working with several agencies to process this scene."

They are working to establish identities.

Vance said police will be at the scene through the night, through the weekend and beyond. "There's a great deal of work that needs to be done here at the school."

Vance says there is a second crime scene in Newtown at which "there is an adult deceased."

"The shootings did take place in one section of the school in two rooms," he says.

The next step, he says, is for the medical examiner's office to determine the cause of death and identities of the victims.

He says one person was injured.

Everyone killed was in "that section of the building," he said.

He said police have not yet made positive identifications, although preliminary identifications have been made of the victims.

6.22pm ET

Barack Obama wipes a tear from his eye as he speaks following the Newtown school shooting. Photograph: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

6.22pm ET

One question following the president's statement is what action these words may represent:

"We're going to have to come together and take action to prevent meaningless tragedies like this, regardless of the politics."

BuzzFeed's Zeke Miller compiles the three occasions during the presidential campaign that Obama addressed gun violence and gun control.

At a debate with Mitt Romney, the president called for the enforcement of current laws and new measures to keep guns away from criminals:

So my belief is that, A, we have to enforce the laws we’ve already got; make sure that we’re keeping guns out of the hands of criminals, those who are mentally ill. We’ve done a much better job in terms of background checks, but we’ve got more to do when it comes to enforcement.

But I also share your belief that weapons that were designed for soldiers in war theaters don’t belong on our streets. And so what I’m trying to do is to get a broader conversation about how do we reduce the violence generally.

Obama: nation must 'come together and take action'

The president, in an emotional appearance, has just delivered a statement on the Connecticut shooting.

He said the nation must "come together and take action to prevent meaningless tragedies like this."

He paused in the middle of his statement to wipe tears from his eyes as his voice broke.

Obama said that the state will have "every single resource" it needs to conduct its investigations.

"We've endured too many of these tragedies in the past few years," he said. "And each time I hear the news, I react... as a parent. And that was especially true today.

"The majority of those who died today were children, beautiful little kids between the ages of 5 and 10 years old.

"They had their entire lives ahead of them. Birthdays...weddings...kids of their own.

"Among the fallen are teachers.

"Our hearts are broken today.

"Our hearts are broken for the parents of children who survived as well.

"These neighborhoods are our neighborhoods and these children are our children. And we're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics.

"There are families in Connecticut... they need all of us right now. That community needs us to be at our best as Americans, and I will do everything I can in my power as the president to help."

6.22pm ET

Gov. Malloy has ordered US and #CT flags to half-staff in honor of today's victims in #Newtown

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo calls for a crackdown on guns, in a statement on the shooting reading in part:

While we don’t have all the facts and our focus must be on the victims, this is yet another senseless and horrific act of violence involving guns. We as a society must unify and once and for all crack down on the guns that have cost the lives of far too many innocent Americans. Let this terrible tragedy finally be the wake-up call for aggressive action and I pledge my full support in that effort.

6.22pm ET

The National Rifle Association, the influential gun lobby, has no comment on the shooting, Ewen MacAskill reports:

An NRA public affairs spokeswoman, in response to a question about the Connecticut shooting, said: “Until the facts are thoroughly known, the NRA will not be making any comment.”

6.22pm ET

Our reporter Adam Gabbatt is at the scene in Newtown, Connecticut.

Driving into the Newtown borough of Sandy Hook it is immediately apparent that this is not a normal day.

The roads down to the elementary school, where at least 27 people died this morning, are closed off. A one-storey fire house close to the school is serving as a hub for emergency services, with fire trucks and police cars parked outside.

At 2.30pm the road to the fire house was blocked here and there by ambulances slowly weaving between cars. Eerily, despite so many fire trucks, ambulances and police cars here in Sandy Hook, there is no sound of blaring sirens.

The fire house, clad in white wood panelling, is where parents of children at Sandy Hook elementary school were briefed by officials on this morning's events. But this afternoon, only police officers remain.

Ambulances leave an area near the scene of a shooting at the Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. Photograph: Jessica Hill/AP

6.22pm ET

The Associated Press reports that a younger brother of the gunman is being held by police. No further details were reported.

6.22pm ET

The Guardian's Gary Younge joins others urging a new national conversation on gun control:

It is simply not plausible to understand events in Connecticut this Friday without having a conversation about guns in a country where more than 84 people a day are killed with guns, and more than twice that number are injured with them.

From AP, Richard Wilford, parent of a student at Sandy Hook who was not shot, said:

I could try to explain it, but I’m sure I would fail. There’s no words that I could come up with that would even come close to describing the sheer terror of hearing that your son is in a place, or your child’s in a place, where there’s been violence. You don’t know the details of that violence, you don’t know the condition of your child and you can’t do anything to immediately help them or protect them. It is a powerless and terrifying experience.

6.22pm ET

Parents of children killed in the shooting are reportedly gathering at a fire department near Sandy Hook elementary. Governor Dan Malloy has just left the fire department, local NBC News reports, crossing the street to a child care facility, the Children's Adventure Center. At a news conference 15 minutes ago a gubernatorial aide said Malloy met with parents of victims.

Emergency services, including the state department of children and families and the department of public health, remain on the scene, the governor's Twitter feed said.

The Newtown Patch Facebook page, where people are leaving messages of condolence, is here.

Lt. Vance finished his briefing by saying the scene is secure. He referred to "the" shooter, not multiple shooters. He said the shooter is dead inside the building.

He said the scene is secure. Details on the victims are being withheld pending notifications of the families, he said.

Roy Occhiogrosso, an aide to governor Dan Malloy, also spoke.

The governor took a call from President Obama, he says. Occhiogrosso says more information will be made public when the families of victims are informed.

6.22pm ET

State police spokesman Lt. Paul Vance is speaking.

He reports that police received a 911 call just after 9.30am. State troopers responded to the school. They entered the school and began a search for the perpetrator. "Our main objective was to evacuate... any and all students and faculty."

The school was searched and a staging area was set up.

There were "several" fatalities at the scene, both students and staff.

The gunman died inside the building. Vance says there's a great deal of search warrant activity and law enforcement activity "in and out of state."

The scene is secure.

6.22pm ET

White House spokesman Jay Carney said today is not the day to discuss gun control.

"I think that day will come, but today's not that day, especially as we are awaiting more information about the situation," Carney told reporters at a briefing.

Carney said the the attack weighs heavily on the president:

"The president as a father and I as a father certainly...feel enormous sympathy for families that are affected. As a father, incidents like these weigh heavily on him.”

6.22pm ET

An attacker in the Connecticut school shootings was a 20-year-old man with ties to the school, the Associated Press reports:

The official said that a gun used in the attacks is a .223-caliber rifle. The official also said that New Jersey state police are searching a location in that state in connection with the shootings, said by an official in Connecticut to have left 27 dead, including 18 children.

The official in Washington spoke on the condition of anonymity because the source was not authorized to speak on the record about the developing criminal investigation.

President Obama receiving updates about shooting

White House spokesman Jay Carney says President Obama has been informed about the shooting and is getting regular updates.

NBC News quotes two officials, federal and state, saying that "many children" at the school were shot.

6.22pm ET

A news conference is in progress at Danbury Hospital, near Newtown. John Murray, the hospital president, is speaking.

"We have received three victims," he says. "The emergency department is under lockdown" to allow emergency crews to focus, he says.

Dr Patrick Broderick calls it a "terrible, terrible tragedy." He says the three patients have been treated.

"In deference to the needs and respect of those patients and their families," he says no further information is available.

"Due to cautious control of the environment, we have put the emergency room on lockdown status," he adds.

6.22pm ET

Sandy Hook elementary school has students from kindergarten through fourth grade. Newtown, Connecticut, a town of about 30,000 people off Interstate 84, is about 60 miles north of New York City.

Newtown, Connecticut, is about 60 miles north of New York City. Photograph: Google

6.22pm ET

Police and emergency services are responding to a shooting incident at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. The school, Sandy Hook elementary, has been evacuated and it remains unclear how many casualties there are, or whether children are among them. State police are due to host a news conference on the incident shortly, and we will be covering that event live.

Here's what we know so far:

• State police were called to the scene of a shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school at about 9.40am.

• Witnesses report hearing multiple shots.

• Three victims were transported to Danbury Hospital, a hospital spokesperson said.

• FBI agents, SWAT teams and state and local police responded to the scene. A large number of parents arrived soon after a call went out informing them of the incident.